Writers in the middle of a first draft like:

When someone says they don’t like your genre:

We all doubt ourselves at one point or another. We don’t think our work is good enough, we get frustrated, instead of constructive criticism sometimes we receive hate, we can’t get our thoughts into words, we’re too tired to write, we just don’t like the way your own writing sounds… whatever it may be: there are so many reasons to quit. Here is why you shouldn’t.

1) It’s an escape and everyone needs their own space. Everyone’s home life is different, but we all could use a vacation. Writing can take us places we want to be. Even if you’re doubting your work, write for yourselfand for that pleasure of being elsewhere. You don’t have worry about the quality of your writing, just enjoy the escape. Editing and fixing can come later if you want to share/publish your work. 

Stephanie Meyer wrote Twilight purely for herself at night after the kids were asleep, not expecting to write a novel at all, but rather to explore further into a dream she had— publishing never even crossed her mind at first!

2) Go back to the reason you started: it’s fun. Like any sport is to an athlete, writing is a hobby that we all started because we enjoyed it. It may take rocky schedules, failure, and days where you just want to skip practice (and probably do). But there will also be days where you feel like you’re the star player and everything is coming naturally to you. No matter the ups and downs, at the end of the day— we write because it’s fun. Don’t let writing become a chore.

3) If you do publish your work, it could become someone elsesescape. How many books have you read that transported you away from stress and work? It’s a lovely thought that your story could do that to someone else (if you want to publish)— only if you keep writing!

4) It’s a place where you can purely be yourself. Where else better than to let all your fantasies, thoughts and expressions come to life than on a blank sheet of paper? A place where, while writing, no one will judge or tell you what to do— because you’re the captain of this story.

5) Writing is a creative outlet to express yourself. Some people sing, dance, play a sport, paint, cook, bake, you name it… and some of us write. Don’t bottle your creative urges up, let them loose onto the blank pages and create. If you gave up writing, where would all of that creativity go?

6) The writing community! Whether you post content (tips, WIPs, memes) or prefer to just read them, the community can offer you amazing friends that you wouldn’t have found if you gave up writing. 

If you’re feeling like quitting, take a break or try to find your initial inspiration again through reading, watching shows/movies, or connecting with other writers. Never give up completely because at the end of the day, you started writing for a reason. Remember that reason.

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Here are some interesting reasons why you might want to kill your characters! Of course there are also reasons why you shouldn’t murder them, but that’s for another post! This one will focus on reasons why you should bring your characters to a permanent end.

Some reasons to kill your characters…

1) It can serve as poetic justice.This is when the bad guys are punished and the good guys are rewarded. When the antagonistic force finally gets what they deserve, it can satisfy the reader. If you’ve ever watched Game of Thrones, you know how angering it is when the bad guys always preserver. Giving them a well-deserved demise can be like lemonade on a blistering hot day for your reader.

2) Does killing them tie into your theme? Death is a pretty universal thing that can fit into a lot of stories. Does putting it into your story add to the lesson/theme you want to leave your readers with? For example, a story with the theme of survival could be intensified if it’s shown that not everyone cansurvive. Or a dark romance with the theme of betrayal… she still loves the vampire even if he kills… but what if he kills someone close to her? Can death be used to intensify your theme?

3) Killing certain characters can bring closure to their story/arc. Sometimes death can be the best way to end an arc. Depending on who the character is, after they’ve served their purpose to the story, is it better to let them linger or kill them? If a character is suffering, would it be more merciful to kill them?

4) Deaths can build tone. If your tone tone is happy and lighthearted then this isn’t for you. However, if the tone you’re going for is dark and dreary, adding in some deaths can really intensify that vibe.

5) Deaths add realism. Loss is apart of life (sadly). If you’re writing an epic fantasy, is it actuallyrealistic for everyone to survive at the end of the journey? Especiallywhen most of them are learning along the way? Adding in deaths can make the story more realistic… whether it’s a spear through the heart or an untimely illness. Death comes and goes whenever, wherever. 

6) It can develop your protagonist and advance the plot. While you might not want to necessarily kill a character for the sole purpose of hurting your protagonist, if the deathdoes achieve that, you’re developing them! Does this death motivate them to push forward, does it put a hole in their plan, does it create new conflict? Deaths can be great for moving the plot forward.

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There are tons of ways to create suspense in your novel, here are just a few to get your brain jogging:

1) Withhold things about a characters backstory. Why does he walk with a limp? Why is she so untrusting? When did he get those scars and why do they glow? When you slowly reveal your character(s) backstory, it leaves the reader intrigued to figure out the crucial details about them.

2) Make promises and keep them. When you reveal a question to the readers, you’re promising them an answer. Delay the answers for suspense. If your character encounters a mysterious, magical box that they feel an intense pull towards, you’re making a promise that it will be opened eventually. This creates suspense: what is in there!? 

3) Take away your characters weapons/defenses. They sprain an ankle while running, their weapon breaks during battle, they have a panic attack before going on stage, they freeze in terror while face to face with the antagonist. How will your character improvise and get out of this situation?

4) Create a time constraint. They have to do something in X amount of time. To make this suspense even more intense, you can cut the time in half right when they think everything is going as planned.

5) Leave problems unresolved. Instead of solving a problem at the end of a chapter or scene, delay its resolve. Add interruptions, delays, new issues, puzzles, reversals, etc. The reader will have a hard time putting the book down because they desperately want to see how the problem gets dealt with. (I would advise not to drag something on for too longthough.)

6) Make things worse for your character. Why make something go bad for your hero when you can make it go horrendous. If they’re afraid of snakes, have them fall into a pit of them. If they’re afraid of heights, place them on the top of the Eiffel Tower. The true personality of characters are revealed during their hardest moments. 

7) Add suspense through romantic scenes. Suspense doesn’t have to just be action and danger, it can also be intimate and warm. An intense stare, the longing for touch, little notions of care (hugs, reassurance, words of affirmation) that lead to the intense kiss and confession. 

8) Secrets. Is there a character withholding something? Did something go missing? Is there an enemy disguised as an ally? Drop little hints to your reader (and red herrings) that someone has a secret, and if they notice the clues, they’ll try to piece things together. The unrelenting desire to know the answer will create suspense!

Pt. 2 — Coming Soon!

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☕Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com

You may have heard of these conflicts before, maybe in school or while browsing the web. Wherever you learned it, these base conflicts are extremely common in literature. Ask yourself: which of these conflicts appear in my story?

1) Man vs. Man

This is probably the most common external conflict there is. Nearly every story you read will have some kind of character vs. character conflict. This type of conflict can range anywhere from arguments, physical fights to a massive hero vs. villain battle.

This is Katniss vs. Cato. This is alsoKatniss when she gets angry at Peeta for “making her sound weak” in their interviews. This is every Tribute trying to be the last one standing.

2) Man vs. Society

Does your story include a dictatorship? A corrupt government? Is there an organization trying to shackle your character? Typically your character will work against them to bring their lies to light or completely tear them down.

This is Katniss vs. The Capitol. This is when she shoots the apple during her display of skills. This is where she destroys the dome in Catching Fire.

3) Man vs. Nature

Mother Nature can be brutal and unrelenting. This type of conflict usually forces the character to survive against the odds of earth. Is your character lost in the wilderness and on the verge of starvation? Is a massive tsunami about to crash into their homeland?

This is Katniss surviving the climate, hunger and animal conditions of the Games. 

4) Man vs. Supernatural

Is your character facing something that is unexplainable by their definition of logic? Ghosts, witches, mythical creatures, aliens? An angered God who wishes to smite all of humanity? Perhaps a demon who has crawled his way up from hell to devour your characters soul.

This is Sam and Dean Winchester as they fight to eliminate the supernatural creatures of the world. This is the vampire hunter vs. the vampires.

5) Man vs. Technology

Have robots taken over the world? Is your character glued to their phone/computer/VR all hours of the day and as a result it’s affecting their personal life? This conflict can be as huge as murderous androids roaming earth or as mundane as your character not able to crack the password of the bad guys computer.

This is Neo and the survivors of The Matrix fighting against the Machines and Programs of their universe.

6) Man vs. Self

This is an internalconflict. This is when your character is having an inner battle with themselves. They’re questioning their beliefs, their fatal flaws are messing everything up for them. They hate themselves or they want to change but can’t.

This is Katniss not wanting to kill anyone, because that’s just not who she is, but choosing to for her own survival. 

7) Man vs. Fate 

The chosen one, the prophecy that your character will bring forth the end of the world, the tragic reality that your character was born to be sacrificed to the Gods. This is when your character fights against fate and for their free will. They refuse to accept that their only reason for existing is totally out of their control.

Harry Potter—the boy who lived. The one who is destined to defeat Voldemort.

Okay, Bean, but how many of these conflicts should I include into my story?

That’s up to you. Every author will have a different opinion. You should at least have one of these for sure, but you could have all seven if it works with your story. One of these conflicts could be your main one, while a few others are attached to subplots or minor situations!

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☕Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com

Synonyms for Color in Your Novel

Here are some synonyms and things that match the said color to help with setting, clothing and appearance descriptions! These are great for if you want your descriptions to be more flowery or immersive. 

Black 

• Onyx
• Jet black
• Coal / Charcoal
• Inky
• Ebony
• Obsidian
• Raven / Crow / Panther
• Void / Nothingness
• Night
• Bleak
• Obscure
• Shadow / Umbra

“His hair was as dark and smooth as a raven’s feather.”

Blonde

• Strawberry blonde
• Fair
• Animal Hide
• Platinum
• Champagne / Chardonnay
• Bleached
• Sandy
• Golden
• Honey
• French fries
• Flaxen
• Ashy
• Straw

“She hadn’t a care in the world as she leaned her head out of the window. Her golden hair was wild and unruly like popping a bottle of light champagne on the best day of your life.”

Brown

• Honey
• Chestnut / Hazel
• Oak / Wood / Trees
• Chocolate / Caramel / Cocoa 
• Roasted Almonds
• Sepia
• Tanned
• Sunburned
• Bronze
• Worn
• Dusky
• Earthy
• Umber

“Her hazel eyes were nothing special, in fact, they were the last thing you noticed about her. But to me, they felt like home— like roasted almonds and dark chocolate.”

Green

• Honeydew / Dewdrops 
• Emeralds 
• Grass / Leaves / Nature
• Viridian
• Olive
• Sage
• Lime
• Poison
• Sea Green
• Moss / Seaweed
• Lush
• Jade
• Mint

“Two shiny emeralds glittered back at me beyond my doorframe, getting bigger and bigger as he lurked into the room.”

Blue

• Sky / Sea
• Azure
• Cobalt / Cyan
• Sapphire
• Cerulean
• Navy
• Indigo 
• Royal
• Depressed (any sad synonyms)
• Electric
• Blueberries
• Turquoise / Teal

“Her eyes that once held ocean’s mysteries were now dull and empty— lost at sea.”

White

• Pearl
• Pure
• Snow
• Dove
• Alabaster
• Pale / Fair
• Translucent
• Ivory
• Chalk
• Silver
• Milky
• Angel / Holy

“His translucent eyes were like snow on a sunny day— reflective of everything around them including my fear.”

Red 

• Blood
• Cardinal
• Wine
• Maroon / Burgundy 
• Scarlet
• Brick
• Chestnut
• Amber / Auburn
• Rusty / Burnt
• Ruby
• Vermillion 
• Crimson
• Cherry

“Lighting shattered the sky as his two scarlet eyes were pulsating like a beating heart, badump, badump, dadump. This is where I die.”

Pink 

• Bubblegum
• Flamingo
• Strawberry 
• Blush / Flushed
• Coral
• Rose / Rosy
• Salmon
• Roseate 
• Sakura / Cherry Blossoms
• Delicate / Pale / Hot
• Bloom

“She had bubblegum hair, a cigarette in her mouth and the fierceness to take the world by storm.”

Pt. 2 — Coming soon! With rest of the other colors!

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☕Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com

Info dumping… ah, yes. It’s one of the reasons why writers are always talking about how you need to show, not tell. Info dumping is that dreaded tellingthat you might accidentally be doing in your novel.

Info dumping is when the author drenches the reader in a tonof information all at once in a big clump of text. Our first drafts are probably cluttered with info dumps here and there because we’re exploring our own world and still figuring things out— but when editing, it’s important not to let these chunks of information slip by.

Here are some ways to avoid info dumping:

1) Whenever you catch yourself in a lengthy description of backstory/worldbuilding, ask yourself this question:

 “Does the reader really need to know all of this right now?” 

Only write what your readers need to know for that specificscene. If your protagonist lands their spaceship onto a new planet, onlytell the reader what they need to know for the scene to make sense— don’t start explaining the origin of everything on this new world. Not only does withholding extra information add suspense and intrigue, it balances the story. 

2) Watch out for info dumping in dialogue. Dialogue is a greatplace to reveal world building and backstory, but make sure to break up your lengthy conversations with action. It can be very easy to spot an info dump when page after page is all solely dialogue. Scenes should have a mix of action, dialogue, introspection, etc. 

I once read a book (and the info dump was so bad I still remember it clear as day) where a character was nonstop talking for literal pages. No actions nor dialogue tags, no thoughts of the character or anything. Just paragraphs upon paragraphs of them explaining the history of the war that was going on. It was interesting history but I KNEWI was reading an info dump and started to get tired. I felt kind of cheated… like it could’ve been done better.

The attention of the reader can and willdrift if you have lengthy info dumps!

3) Don’t hold your readers hand. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of doing this and it’s something I need to fix. It can be tempting to overexplain or reveal tons of information because you’re afraid your audience won’t understand what’s happening otherwise. However, humans (especially readers) are very intellectual creatures and can figure things out on their own. Drop some hints and context clues, tell them only what they need to know and sprinkle the rest as it comes and you’ll be good.

4) Let yourself info dump in the first draft. Umm, bean, hello? You’re going against the title. Yes… well, your first draft will be messy. While you should find different ways to relay information, it’s okay to have some dumpage in the first draft. One of my favorite writing quotes is: “the first draft is just you telling yourself the story” and if you need to dump info to do that, then do it. Just make sure that you knowyou’re info dumping and put a note next to it that it needs to be fixed later.

5) Be extra careful at the beginning of your story. During your set up and introductions to your characters, it can be very easy to let information get out of control. This can be boring and annoying to a reader because they don’t yet care about your characters! So why would they care about all their backstory? Reveal it slowly over time. We want a drizzle, not a downpour. 

6) If you need to reveal a lot of information, consider dedicating a full scene to it. Instead of dumping all the context out in dialogue or explanation, maybe find a way to reveal it through the actions of your characters. Instead of going into great detail about how “the cursed amulet poisons the wearer and has all these nasty side effects” showit happening to your character and then have your other characters react to this— thus spreading the info out in the form of action, dialogue and introspection. 

7) Some backstory is best left untold. As the author, you know everything there is to know about your world. For some of us, this means days, weeks, even years of research and worldbuilding. Don’t try squeezing that all into your first book. I’m shivering just thinking about all the info dumps. 

Think of an iceberg. The tip that you see above the water is your book and the massive underside that hides below the murky water? That is all your research that never gets to see the light of day. Without it your story wouldn’t function, but that doesn’t mean the reader needs to know it all (sadly). Your research will shine through regardless, giving your story structure and a backbone.

Pt. 2 — Coming Soon! (Because I refuse to info dump everything there is to know about info dumping )

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☕Official Blog: www.byzoemay.com

First consider the type of betrayal you want. Will it be minor to the story or absolutely earth shattering? Will you be leaving little breadcrumbs/hints for the reader to piece together, or will it come out of no where and blindside both the reader andcharacters? Be careful though because the latter can feel unrealistic or make the reader feel cheated.

Here are some tips on how to write betrayals in your story:

1) Set up the betrayal in a way that isn’t obvious. Leave tiny clues, use foreshadowing, drop hints in the background. Body language and dialogue can be great places to add subtle hints. 

2) Make your readers invested in your characters. If the reader doesn’t care about the protagonist or even the betrayer, they won’t feel anything when the big deception happens.

3) The betrayer needs a motivation. Why are they betraying your protagonist?

4) It has to have an effect your protagonist. Usually the betrayer is someone close to the protagonist, so when they are deceived, it hurts like crap.

5) Do some research on the craft of lying. It can be hard for a character to keep up a mask for the entire story. Google some real-life betrayals in history, or in famous literature/movies. Study how the betrayals are hinted at and effectively revealed.

6) Play around with POV. A fun way to build tension is to have certain characters know things that others do not. Or perhaps your readersknow about the betrayal-to-be before the characters do. This could put them on the edge of their seats waiting for your characters to figure it out before it’s too late.

7) Betrayal isn’t black and white. I don’t think betrayal is as simple as good and bad… it can get muddy. For example, what if the betrayer is being blackmailed? Mind controlled? Manipulated? Here are a few betrayal pathways to consider:

• Evil from the start to the end, was never truly a friend.
• Manipulated into betraying their friends
• Wants to be on the “winning side”
  
• Is offered gold or safety of their family for the betrayal
• Blackmailed or threatened into the betrayal
• They’re lesser or a “loser” in the beginning and can obtain power through this betrayal
• Conflicted and stuck in between— this betrayer doesn’t know which side to pick and is constantly being tormented between the choice
• The betrayer feels cheated/overlooked by the protagonist and choses to switch sides.
• They’re betraying the protagonist to secretly protect them
• They have no choice— literally. Mind control or magically forced
• Theythinkthey’re genuinely doing the right thing
• A remorseful betrayer who realizes his mistake but it’s too late, he is too far gone or the damage has already been done.

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No writing tips today, my brain is super tired! But here are some interesting words and their meanings! Maybe they could help to inspire names, cities, clans or creatures in your story. 

Flyspeck — a tiny stain. 

“Look at that flyspeck on your shirt! Ugh! You’re so dirty.”

Guffaw— a loud, unrestrained burst of laughter. 

“He guffawed like no one has ever guffawed before, and it was a beautiful sight to see.”

Nesh — sensitive to the cold. 

“She was the most nesh person I’ve ever met, shivering at the slightest drop in temperature.”

Riffraff— a group of people who are regarded as disreputable or worthless. 

“You guys are nothing more than riffraff off the street.”

Ephemeral— something that lasts a very short time. 

“His love was ephemeral, yet she still chose to fall head over heels for him. She had convinced herself that a fleeting love was better than none at all.”

Uniped— a person or animal having only one foot/leg. 

“The uniped pirate had lost his left leg in a war he never wanted to fight.”

Wuthering—wind that blows strongly with a roaring sound. 

“The wuthering wind challenged the lion, it’s roar much louder, much scarier.”

Vicinal— a person who has special knowledge or skill. 

“She was vicinal in the art of mind control.”

Beamish—bright, cheerful, optimistic. 

“She was beamish in everything that she did, always a smile on her face.”

Fika—of Swedish culture meaning to take time to slow down and appreciate the smaller things in life.

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☕ Official Blog:www.byzoemay.com

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literal. Here are some reasons why to use them in your writing and how you can improve them!

1) Metaphors can make your writing lyrical or add style/voice. The style of your writing is your own unique way of communicating with words, similar to how musicians sing differently. If you’re using a lot of metaphors, your style can become more poetic, flowery or distinctive.

For example, an excerpt from John Greens: The Fault In Our Stars:  “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” This is much more stylistic than just saying, “my thoughts are all over the place.”

2) Metaphors can aid in your readers understanding. Metaphors are excellent at creating vivid visuals for your audience and helping them to understand an abstract concept. Maybe you want to show how terrifying a creature is: 

“It’s mouth was a row of knives and it’s eyes were pits of crumbling coal” is much more descriptive and emotion-inducing than: “the creature had sharp teeth and black eyes.”

3) Metaphors help with showing instead of telling. Instead of “she was really nervous” let’s try something like: “Her foot was a jack hammer, slamming into the concrete over and over. Kyle was convinced that the ground would crack beneath her four inch black heels.”

4) Metaphors make for more memorable content. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve swooned over a beautiful metaphor. Adding metaphors can deepen the experience of the reader because it indulges in their senses and emotions. How many times have you highlighted a beautiful metaphor or reread a poetic line? 

5) They can induce thought and wonder into the reader. For instance: “love is a battlefield” can spark curiosity. Why and how is it a battlefield? Maybe the reader even ponders on their own experiences and can actually relateto the narration. This just deepens that connection again.

6) Metaphors can be stronger than similes, thus making your point more impactful. This is not to say that similes are bad or that you should remove them— they have their places and their strengths. Unlike a simile (which uses “like/as” to compare one thing to another), metaphors directlyrelate things. In some cases, dropping the “like/as” can make the description more powerful. 

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None of these are required and doing them allis not probable— but, adding a few of these into your novel could really elevate your first page! Here are a few different ways to open your story in a way that makes it more intriguing! Lesssgooo:

1) Consider grounding your reader on the first page. No… not in the sense of sending them to their room (), but rather— place them in a setting and make sure they know where they are from the start. You don’t want to confuse your reader by waiting too long to describe the setting. Make sure they know where they are so that they can vividly see the scene in their mind. Plus, if it’s a breathtaking fantasy world, that could be your hook.

HOWEVER, make sure you’re not ONLY describing the setting. Try to mix some narration, action or dialogue in there.

2) Have a clear, distinct voice from the start. Voiceis the mixture of tone, POV, word choice and punctuation that an author uses to tell their story. Essentially, it’s their writing style (similar to how musicians all sing differently). Some writers have such a unique voice that you can tell it’s their writing right from the get-go. If your unique voice/style comes through strong enough on the first page, it could very well be one of the major things that captivates your reader.

3) Allude to something that’s about to happen. My favorite example of this is The Hunger Games. In the very firstparagraph, The Reaping is mentioned. This compels me to read more because I want to know what it is and why it has everyone stressed out.

4) Consider showing who your protagonist is. If your character is a hothead, maybe the plot starts while they’re extremely angry. If they’re an assassin, maybe they’re planning a hit, already on one… or just finished one. 

5) Introduce tension and conflict. Conflict can be huge (a car chase) or super minor (running out of milk). If you do not want conflict on the first page, consider alluding to future conflict. Make the readers feel like something is about to happen (drop hints) and that whatever it is… will change the protagonist’s path— thus beginning their journey.

6) Based on your audience/genre, create a hook. For example, if you’re writing a fantasy, you could tease the magic of your world. You don’t have to explain your magic system and all it’s rules (in fact, the first page is way too early for that) but you could rather allude/hint at how: “her fingers felt hot, like when she burned them on the stove as a child. She couldn’t wipe off the heat, it was like they were on fire.” 

7) THINGS NOT TO DO:

• Don’t let your character(s) wander around aimlessly. Give them something to do, put their goals and wants to use right away.
• Don’t info dump backstory
• Don’t start too early. Only go as far back as the reader needs to understand the inciting incident.
• Don’t overwhelm the reader with a ton of names or locations 
• Don’t start your story in an overly generic way that editors have seen too many times (waking up, dreaming, running from something, etc.) The exception is if you can put your own unique twist on it.
• Try not to tell, but rather show.

Pt. 2 — Coming soon!

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☕Official Blog:www.byzoemay.com

If a scene, conversation or an idea is not working in your novel… here is why you should not delete it, but rather save it away somewhere else. Taking out scenes that don’t work can be healthy for your story, but you should move them to a spare document instead of deleting them permanently. Here’s why:

1) You can use it in a different story. If it’s not working in your current novel, it could fit into a future project.

2) It can inspire new ideas. Saving your writing and looking back on it every now and again can inspire a completely new perspective on it. This could give birth to new ideas to write in your current novel… or even bring to life a whole new story idea!

3) You can fix the scene/idea later. Whether it’s writers block or just lack of sleep… maybe you just need to come back to it later with fresh eyes. 

4) It might not be as bad as you think. If you’ve been working on your project every day for hours at a time, you might begin to overthink and nitpick your writing. Rather than delete stuff you grow to dislike, save it elsewhere and look back on it a few weeks later. You might realize that you just needed a break and it is actually a damn goodscene.

5) Maybe it’s not the scene that is broken, but your structure/backstory. If your scene feels out of place or like it’s not working, consider asking yourself whyit feels wrong. Maybe you need to figure out the bare bones of the scene and flesh it out more to make it work.

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Here are some ideas on how to make a characters death heartbreaking. Hopefully they can be used to inspire a creative death in your story! (I swear I’m not a sadist).

1) Have them die right before they obtain the one thing they have always wanted. No… really, like minutesbefore. Not only can they see what they want want just out of reach, but they see someone else take it.

2) Kill them before they could make amends.

3) Stabbed in the back by someone they loved. Or by the one person they knew was untrustworthy but no one would listen to them.

4) Give the character a false-death and the relief that comes along with it… and then kill them for real right after.

5) Kill them while their walls are down and they finally let themselves be vulnerable.

6) Kill them right before their one-sided love interest returns their affection.

7) Make their death essential for others to live even though your character desperately doesn’t want to be left behind.

8) Have them find irony in their death. A dry, painful laugh as tears are pouring down their face.

9) Make them believe that they have failed everyone just before they die, while in reality the did the opposite. But they’ll never know that.

10) Give them a phobia and have them die from it.

11) Make their death an accident. Just after the huge battle is won and everyone is relieved, a weapon malfunctions and kills them.

12) Give them a slow death and prevent your other characters from being able to help or save them.

13) Make their death fully preventable, but it happens because of the neglect of everyone in the story.

14) Make them go somewhere they didn’t want to go in the first place and then have them die as they wish “they would have just stayed home.”

15) Kill them at their happiest hour.

16) Have them sacrifice themselves for someone who would neverdo the same for them.

Pt. 2 — Coming Soon!

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Tone is the authors attitude towards a specific subject. Perhaps they are writing in a very lighthearted and cheerful way as they tell the story of two bestfriends exploring NYC together. Or maybe they’re writing in a very dark and scary tone as they take you on the journey of a woman lost in the forest with a strange man. 

Tone is not to be confused with mood which is the atmosphere or overall feelings that your story conveys to the reader. You may write in a humorous tone and still make the readers feel sad or angry through the events of your story.

Give your readers a tone promise.

Does your beginning chapters relay the correct tone of your story? Brandon Sanderson believes that the first chapter of your novel should promise the reader the tone that they will be receiving as they continue to read.

Imagine you’re writing a comedy and your reader picks up your book expecting it to be a funny and lighthearted read… and then your story starts with a horrifying eerie tone and an axe murder who instills fear into the reader.

Maybe your storyis a comedy… but because you started the book out in the wrong tone, you risk the reader putting the book down. 

Sometimesprologuescan be used to convey the correct tone when the beginning of your story doesn’t.

The readers mood does not have to match the authors tone.

For instance, in a dark romance novel, the main characters could be enjoying a sensual moment. The authors tone and writing might be romantic and fluffy… but because of your genre (vampire fiction), setting (dark castle) and context clues (he bit her neck a little too hard), the reader could be feeling a more tense and scary vibe. 

Ask yourself what tone you want for your story. 

If you’re writing a romance do you want it to be humorous and cute?

“He had the stubbiest fingers that wrapped around my own, and while they were great at opening a pickle jar… they were even better at keeping my hands warm.” 

Or maybe mysterious and dark?

“His fingers were long and boney, like branches of the dead trees that circled the manor. Yet when he took my hand into his, all I could think about was how he chose to love me with them instead of kill me.”

These two tones are completelydifferent. Figure out what tone you want for your story (you can have multiple).

The Cold Opening

Hollywood does a common tonal promise called The Cold Open. It’s when you join the characters in the middle of a miniature adventure that foreshadows the bigger adventure your characters will be going on.

An example of this is a story that starts in the middle of a small heist to steal some gold from the town’s bank. Then, the actual plot is a bigger and longer version of this. After being caught, this group is so skilled that the town representatives task them with breaking into the usurpers castle to steal a magical item that threatens the freedom of everyone.

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Source:Brandon Sanderson’s Creative Writing Lectures on YT andMasterclass

Are you writing a scene (or maybe you abandoned it) that just isn’t working? Does it feel slow or empty? Are things not connecting right? Here are some quick ideas that you can consider implementing into your scene. Keep in mind these are not things that are required for a good scene (in fact some might not fit into your story at all), but rather inspiration.

1) What is at stake? How can you make the readers worry?

2) What are you character(s) goals?

3) What conflict is happening in the scene?

4) Is there romantic tension as a result of a subplot? Is someone jealous? Are two people swapping daring gazes?

5) What could the characters lose or gain from this scene? An object, self-dignity, friends… a life?

6) Is there room to add red herrings? What little hints can you sprinkle around to mislead your readers? Prepare for that twist you got coming.

7) Is someone being deceptive? Who is lying to the group? 

8) Can you increase the drama? What do your characters disagree about? 

9) Is there enough dialogue? Can you start an argument or discussion about something that is vital to the story? 

10) What can you delete that has no meaning or impact on the story? Do we really need to know about how your protagonist rolled out of bed with a messy bun the size of Jupiter and how she brushes her teeth with Crest? Or can you skip mundane routines?

11) Take away something that your characters need. Have them frantic about finding it— it’s time for a new game plan.

12) Is it time for someone to die? Someone important to the protagonist?

13) What can you keepfrom your readers? Leave your readers asking questions. Who is that guy? What does this object do that they need to find? Why does the protagonist always get headaches?

14) Is it time to reveal what you’ve been keeping from your readers? 

15) Do something that your readers would never expect.

16) Can you start a fight— a big one? One that changes the story’s direction completely. Does someone change sides or get severely injured?

17) Where’s the antagonist— what’s he doing? If he’s busy elsewhere, is it appropriate timing to raise tension around the idea of him? Are your characters talking about their plan to crush him, or is your protagonist having nightmares of him?

18) Is there a big choice that your characters need to make? One that changes everything. Which road do they take? Was it the right road? Your protagonist decides to open a door that says do not enter. A beast escapes that kills someone in the group.

19) Is your protagonist active or passive? Did a dragon fly up to your protagonist and place her on his back (passive), or did she search for the dragon and mount him herself (active)? Neither is wrong, but passive characters have potential to slow down the story.

20) Can you limit the time your characters have to do something? Do they have five minutes to steal an item from the antagonist’s castle before he comes home? 

Pt. 2— Coming Soon!

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If you’re feeling lost in your 2nd Act, or noticing that things are getting slow, saggy or unraveling, here are some things to consider:

Are you weaving in your subplots? If so, can you thicken them up?

Do you have a love subplot that you’ve been progressing? Are you using it to create tension and drama? Subplots (especially romantic ones) can create juicy conflict and motivation for your characters in the main plot. Add in a training subplot if your protagonist needs to know a certain skill or master a power while on their journey. Add in chaos— an axe murder moves to town, a tormented beast breaks free from their eternal prison, an ex-girlfriend comes back into the picture. Explore other subplots and how they could beef up your middle.

Do your characters have goals? Motivations?

I’m not talking about small goals, but the big ones that completely change your characters as they try to accomplish them. Do they want to defeat the evil villain, or do they have a murder to solve? Are they in search of their soulmate? If you don’t have a clear direction of your characters goals, your 2nd Act can become hard to navigate through. 

Have you teased the Antagonist?

Some bad guys don’t ever meet or face off against the protagonist until the end, and that’s okay as long as you weave them throughout the story. Voldemort is a good example of a villain who is sprinkled throughout the story seamlessly. Add rumors of them, strange flashbacks or visions, their evil grunts doing their dirty work and so on. Make sure to place bits and pieces of your villain throughout the story, otherwise there is no suspenseful build up. 

Do you have a MacGuffin you could add?

An object, item or idea that your characters need to obtain, thus giving them motivation. Some definitions say that the MacGuffin should be insignificant to the characters/audience and only be used to trigger the plot into motion. We don’t necessarily have any emotional ties to the Horcruxes in Harry Potter. Instead, all seven of them serve to solely propel the plot towards Voldemort and it’s end.

George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, believed that the audience should actually care about the MacGuffin as much as they do the characters. In Episode IV, the MacGuffin is the plans/blueprints of The Death Star— a planet-destroying weapon. The characters need to steal the plans before the weapon is built. We don’t want to see planets full of our favorite characters obliterated, therefore this type of MacGuffin pulls on our emotions more than the previous definition.

Could you introduce a twist?

What secrets can you reveal? What surprises can you spring on your characters and the audience? In Harry Potter, we’re caught off guard when Sirius Black is revealed not to be a bad guy, but instead an ally of Harry’s all along. Make sure you’re sprinkling in red herrings and hints along the way so that the reader doesn’t feel totally blind sided, cheated or confused at the sudden change in events.

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1) Give them a goal. Just like your protagonist, your side characters will become more complex if given a motive or agenda. Make sure you treat them like real people who have desires. What propels them forward, why are they in this story… what do they hope to accomplish?

2) Let them make an impact. Have their actions directly or indirectly effect the main plot and your protagonist. If the side character means something to the protagonist, they will mean something to the reader. Perhaps they gave your protagonist a shoulder to cry on, which then aided in the their journey.

3) Give them a theme. What lessons will this side character teach your protagonist (and the reader)? Take Redemptionas an example: does this side character cause trouble for the protagonist the whole story, only to have a change of heart in the end?

4) Give them at least one unique quality. Something to remember them by, something that makes them easily distinguishable. A lavish accent, a brutal scar, a bad habit, an obsession with something. The list goes on and on.

5) Have something they did effect the ending. No matter how small of an impact they have on the ending, give them a part of it. Did they say something to the protagonist that gave them courage in the end? Did they steal something that would’ve made the ending easier? Did they alert the bad guys of the protagonist’s incoming?

6) Introduce them twice. First introduce the character passively, in a conversation or as a passing shadow in the background. Then formally introduce them a second time into the story officially.

    [Passive introduction]

    “We’ve all heard rumors about the The Day Walker, but no one has ever seen him before. They say he freezes anything he touches.”

    [After some time has passed in your story, introduce them formally]

The temperature suddenly dropped, our breath forming thick clouds that floated up towards the flickering lights. I tangled my fingers together, tried grabbing at the warmth that was fading away quickly. It was then that the door began to rattle, then shake, and then bust open with violent intent. Shards of the wood flew past us and in walked what we could only assume to be The Day Walker.

7) Give them a small arc. You already have your main characters to worry about when it comes to arcs, but you can easily deceive readers into believing that a side character has changed throughout the story. Your side character who was shaky and nervous on page 50, now stands tall and confident on page 230. They’ve changed, we just didn’t get to see how in great detail. You can add small scenes and details in between those pages suggesting the change.

8) Give them their own special setting. We all have places we prefer hanging out: a coffee shop, a street corner, the roof of a school, the mall. Anchor some of your side characters to a specific setting, that way it helps with your worldbuilding as well. Next time your main characters pass by that specific location, the readers might think of that side character. 

9) Allow some side characters to be forgettable. Sometimes it’s okay for a character to exist for one purpose and then to never be seen again. Don’t stress yourself out trying to make all your characters serve a higher purpose, because some people only exist in our lives for a short period of time. That’s just life.

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Slowing down the pace:

1) Confuse your protagonist.Is there a puzzle or obstacle that your characters have to solve in order to proceed? Can you make it harder for them? Or does solving one problem lead to an even bigger one?

2) Steal something away from your protagonist that they need for their next step. The dragon rider can’t find his dragon. The knight that is about to ride into battle broke his sword moments before.

3.) Add subplots. For seamless pacing, jump back and forth between your different plots. Just when something big is about to be revealed in the main plot, steer your readers off course into a subplot so that they’re on the edge of their seat waiting for you to return them to the main plot. Do this with your subplots as well for a back and forth game of suspense.

4) Make your sentences longer with more details. For a scene or moment that you want to highlight, drag it out with heightened details. Think of it as a slow motion scene in a movie. 

5) Introspection. Have your character think, reflect or consider their next steps. Inner monologues and consciousness can help the reader to understand misbeliefs, flaws and motivations of a character as well. (Doing this in the middle of a fast-paced scene will slow it down, so be cautious where you use this).

Quickening the pace: 

1) Set up a real ticking clock. The time is counting down and your protagonist needs to finish something in a limited amount of time. A tomb raider has only five minutes to find the relic and escape before they’re shut in the cave forever. 

2) Increase the pressure on your protagonist. Put obstacles in between them and their goals, have an ex return to town, cause drama between them and their friends, place their biggest fear right in front of them, increase the romantic/sexual tension between them and a love interest.  

3) Shorten your sentences/details. Quick action scenes should have short and to the point descriptions. The more details you add, the slower it will feel. Picture an action scene in a movie… punches flying left and right. There is no time to think or observe tiny details.

4) Add a loose cannon. A character who is unpredictable and that the characters worry most about. The tension of what they might do next can help drive your pacing, make the story feel more unyielding.

5) Balance your elements. Make sure you don’t write in huge chunks of just one element. Scenes need to be balanced with dialogue, narrative, action, setting, character, etc. Your pacing can get thrown out of wack if one whole scene is purely a monologue and then the next is solely dialogue. Weave them together!

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Source: Plot Perfect by Paula Munier | Writersedit

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This post is about when to not use adverbs. However, adverbs are not all evil. There are tons of places where they strengthen your writing. I’ll cover that in a future post!

Adverbs are commonly used to modify a verb. Typically, this is done by adding an “-ly” to an adjective. 

He danced swiftly. 
She cried loudly.
He said angrily.

Instead of inserting an adverb here, you might consider going into more detail on the action. Show us how he dances swiftly:

He was light on his feet, empty in his mind. He let the music guide him. His movements reminded us of a feather caught in the ocean’s breeze.

Adverbs in dialogue tags

• A bad example of adverb usage in a speech tag:

“Don’t do that.” He said angrily.

• We can make this sentence stronger by showing his anger in an action, rather than telling it through the adverb “angrily.”

He shoved the boy with a snarl. “Don’t do that.”

• We can also adjust the dialogue itself, making the anger present in the character’s voice.

“Stop! Don’t do that. You’re pissing me off.” He said.

Adverbs being used unnecessarily

“He was so tired that he would eventually fall to the ground.”
“After crying all night, Sarah finally fell asleep.”
“The cat was very cute.”

These types of adverbs can slow down the pace and add an extra word that isn’t needed. The sentence is more direct and stronger without it.

“He was so tired that he would fall to the ground.”
“After crying all night, Sarah fell asleep.”
“The cat was adorable.” 

Adverbs that take away the urgency

If used in the wrong place, or too often, adverbs such as suddenly, immediately, and abruptly can slow down an action that is meant to happen quickly. The more wordy your sentence is, the less clear and concise it is. 

“It was quiet until suddenly a loud noise erupted.”
“It was quiet until a loud noise erupted.”

“The red truck abruptly slammed into my car.”
“The red truck slammed into my car.”

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While researching this topic, one piece of advice kept showing up:

Your antagonist needs to be affecting the story as soon as possible (even if they’re not physically shown yet). Introduce them as close to the start as possible, whether it’s physically, by name, rumors or an action they have done off-page.

• Consider introducing them passively before they physically enter the story.

If your antagonist doesn’t enter the story until later, introduce them in passive ways. This could be word of mouth, rumors, visions, dreams… something that builds up the idea of the villain before they walk into the plot. A little appetizer before the meal. Another way to do this is by having something the antagonist does off the page affect your protagonist directly. 

Example: In a murder mystery, the antagonist typically isn’t revealed until the end. However, he may be stealing evidence off-page, burning down houses, sabotaging the investigators, creating red herrings, planting traps, etc.

You could also give your antagonist henchmen who carry out their evil deeds for them until the antagonist steps in themselves. In Star Wars, the main antagonist is Darth Vader, who rules The Empire. The people who work for The Empire are always chasing Luke, giving him a constant struggle and conflict.

Examples:

Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Air Bender doesn’t enter the story until the final season. However, his atrocities are made known throughout the show and directly affect Aang and his friends.

Voldemort’s character from the Harry Potter series receives a similar treatment. He is shown in flashbacks, brief scenes and through rumors/word of mouth before he and Harry clash wands later on.

• Have your antagonist crush an influential authority figure.

Establish a character whom your protagonist idolizes, trusts or views as unbeatable. This could be a trusted mentor, a minor antagonist, an idolized father/mother figure, etc. Then, have your antagonist crush them.

When the antagonist easily defeats this powerful authority figure, it shows the protagonist (and readers) an unfathomable strength.

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Typically, your first chapter(s) are going to be introducing your protagonist. These chapters will be your protagonist in their “status quo” or normal life, just before the inciting incident occurs (which launches your character into the story/adventure).

Here’s a guide on how to introduce your character in a strong, memorable way.

1) Place your protagonist in a place and time, ASAP. 

Make sure to ground your protagonist to a location as quick as possible. Even if it’s just a sentence describing their surroundings. You don’t want them floating aimlessly in the reader’s mind.

•Whereyour protagonist chooses to spend their time can reveal a lot about them in just the first chapter.

Example: A princess who is in disguise. She’s enjoying drinks in a bar downtown. This reveals a need to get away from her duties and to just be a normal civilian. 

•Whatyour protagonist is doing in this setting will also help in showing who they are.

Example:At the bar, she’s the best dart player, always hitting bullseyes despite being drunk. This might hint at a hidden skillset of being a great marksman.

2) Build suspense by withholding information. 

“He walked with a limp and a permanent scowl, the pain always reminding him of that fateful day.”

Instead of telling the readers right away how he got the limp, withhold that information and let the audience wonder a little bit. Reveal it later on for a satisfying connection of the dots.

3) Give your protagonist a goal.

Don’t confuse your readers by not defining a clear goal for your protagonist. Make sure your characters main motivation is declared early on.

Suzanne Collins does this by reiterating through the first chapters just how much Katniss does for Prim. Protecting Prim and feeding her is Katniss’s priority— so much so, that she refuses to run away with Gale.

Therefore, when she volunteers as Tribute in her place, we understand why. We know what her goal is: protecting Prim. We understand why she won’t give up during the Games.

4) Introduce them while they’re doing an Action. 

Is a starving girl hunting for her impoverished family? Does a cocky pilot try showing off, only to nearly crash and get kicked out of flight school?

Introduce them doing something within their daily routine. Reveal their personality through their actions. You only have so many pages to really sell the reader on why they should follow your character’s story… so make it count! Don’t have them wandering aimlessly or doing something super mundane that doesn’t tie into the story.

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PART 2 — SOON TO COME!

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